Halwa Puri

Ingredients

• 300 g plain flour (maida)
• 2 tbsp fine semolina
• 0.5 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp oil, for the dough
• 170 ml warm water
• oil for deep frying, about 1 litre
• 150 g coarse semolina
• 120 g ghee
• 180 g sugar
• 500 ml water, for the syrup
• 4 green cardamom pods, crushed
• pinch saffron threads
• 2 tbsp slivered almonds and pistachios
• 1 x 400 g tin chickpeas, drained
• 2 tbsp oil, for the chickpeas
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 0.5 tsp red chilli powder
• 0.25 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp chana masala
• 250 ml water, for the chickpeas
• 1 tsp salt, for the chickpeas

Before you cook

• Drain and rinse the tinned chickpeas.
• Finely chop the onion and the tomato.
• Crush the cardamom pods and discard the husks.
• Sliver the almonds and pistachios.
• Measure the ghee, sugar and semolina into separate bowls so the halwa can be made quickly.

Steps

1. Rub the 2 tablespoons of oil into the plain flour, fine semolina and salt until the mixture feels like damp sand.
2. Add the warm water a little at a time and knead for 6 minutes to a firm, smooth dough.
3. Cover the dough and rest it for 30 minutes.
4. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a saucepan over medium heat for the chickpeas.
5. Fry the chopped onion for 6 minutes, until soft and golden at the edges.
6. Stir in the ginger-garlic paste and cook for 40 seconds.
7. Add the tomato with the cumin, coriander, chilli powder, turmeric and salt, then cook for 5 minutes to a thick paste.
8. Tip in the chickpeas and 250 ml of water, then simmer for 15 minutes.
9. Crush a few chickpeas against the side of the pan to thicken the gravy, stir in the chana masala and set the pan aside.
10. Bring 500 ml of water to the boil with the sugar, crushed cardamom and saffron, then take it off the heat.
11. Melt the ghee in a heavy pan over medium-low heat.
12. Add the coarse semolina and stir constantly for 10 minutes, until it turns the colour of pale sand and smells nutty.
13. Pour the hot syrup into the semolina in a steady stream, standing back from the steam, and stir hard.
14. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until the halwa pulls cleanly away from the sides of the pan.
15. Fold in the slivered nuts, cover the halwa and keep it warm.
16. Divide the rested dough into 12 balls and roll each one into a 12 cm disc.
17. Heat 5 cm of oil in a deep pan to 190C.
18. Slide in one puri and press it gently under the oil with a slotted spoon until it balloons, about 20 seconds.
19. Turn the puri and fry it for another 20 seconds until pale gold, then lift it out to drain.
20. Fry the remaining puris the same way and serve them hot with the halwa and the chickpeas.